Dear Friends,
Last week sometime, I received in the mail a mid-year update on the annual Seminary Appeal. According to the letter our parish family has donated $37,695 so far. Of course, we also are at the beginning stages of the 2022 Catholic Charities Appeal for which our parish family has so far pledged $38,715 or 29% of our parish goal.
Both of these appeals are essential, and our parish family is most generous. I highlight these two appeals for your consideration during this Lenten season as you consider your almsgiving sacrifices. There are many worthy causes and so much need in our world. We surely need to prayerfully choose those that we can support. The important element here is that we do pray, choose, and follow through joyfully because of God’s many blessings and goodness to us. Thank you for your compassionate care and support for so many. You are inspiring!
Our Scripture readings this weekend focus our attention on being humble before God, accepting God’s pardon and healing, seeking not to fall or be reliant on ourselves, repenting and conversion. Truly, these readings are meant to capture our attention, to get us to focus, to help us persevere and carry through on our Lenten practices. We are already at the third week of Lent.
Moses encounters God in the burning bush. God has a plan, and He wants Moses to bring it about for His people. Although the people had abandoned God, their punishment was now to come to an end. Moses would lead them by God’s power out of Egypt.
Jesus comments to His listeners about some current tragic events. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach that everyone, all of us, are in need of repentance, conversion. There is much evil in the world, for sure. There are any number of times we are wronged or perceive that we have been wronged. There are times we wrong others. But the path towards peace in the world, is for each of us to recognize our own sinfulness and humbly ask for God’s mercy in Confession; then, by God’s grace to love others with the love that God loves us.
This is not something innate within us. That is why we make efforts to curb our senses, to deepen our prayer, to become more intentionally conscious of God’s presence with us during these Lenten days. It is a challenge. It is work on our part. All of it however is God’s gift. For when we turn toward Him and call out “Father,” He pours out His love, mercy, and healing in abundance. He has made us for Himself. We belong to Him. He wants what is best for us.
Let us not hesitate to fully engage in those works that lead us to life and to the fulness of life for God is “rich in mercy.” As Saint Paul reminds us in Ephesians, God “…brought us to life with Christ …raised us up with Him… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” As we acclaim this weekend in Psalm 103, “The Lord is kind and merciful.” Indeed, always.
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
